By Warren Kozireski —
Though a senior, Niagara University defenseman Ryan Cook is in his first season with the Purple Eagles after transferring from Merrimack, where he played for three seasons.
Fellow Lancaster native Zac Herrmann is in his sophomore season after registering seven assists in 31 games one year ago.
They did not know each other prior to this season, they have two things in common. One is that they have been playing on the same defense pairing of late. The second?
“My dad used to coach him (Ryan),” Herrmann said.
“It was middle school hockey,” Cook recalled.
Cook has set a personal collegiate best with three goals this season and had tied his career high with five assists. And both finished the regular season with five points.
“One day in practice, coach just decided to put us together and the chemistry has just kind of been there and we work really well together,” Cook said. “We know where each other is going to be on the ice and it’s been really simple playing with him and I really enjoy it.”
“We kind of went through a dry spell for a bit and we were switching things up and it’s great with him being an older guy,” 2018-19 AHA All-Academic Team member Herrmann said. “I get bond with him and he’s been through it all as a senior now, so it’s been good.
“I knew of him, but being two years apart we didn’t really talk. We didn’t go to the same high school.”
Defense partners of late, the two took different paths to Monteagle Ridge.
The 6’3”, 220 lb. Cook came through the Buffalo Regals and Jr. Sabres before spending all but 28 games of his three junior hockey seasons in the NAHL with Aberdeen. He finished off his junior career with 25 points in 54 games before heading to Merrimack for three years and now Niagara.
“Honestly it’s a combination of a bunch of things,” Cook said about his decision to transfer. “I haven’t been close to home in about six years, so it has been awesome for my family and the coaching staff made it pretty much a no-brainer. Talking with them about plans for the program and helping me develop as a player.”
Herrmann, three years younger, played for the Nichols School and Buffalo Saints, then headed to Burlington for the 2015-16 season followed by Omaha and Odessa in the USHL and NAHL respectively.
Both also have brothers who played or are playing college hockey. Cook’s older brother Steven spent one season with Plattsburgh in Division III SUNYAC while Herrmann’s younger brother Lucas in in his freshman campaign with the University of New Hampshire in Hockey East.
Herrmann finally scored his first collegiate goal in his 60th game Feb. 28 in his 29th game against Robert Morris to win the family bet with Lucas, who was still searching for his first as a collegian as of Feb. 28 but only through 27 contests.
“At the start of the year my dad actually said the first one who scores gets $500, so it was an ongoing family thing, but right now I’m just worried about winning and hopefully getting more points than him.”
The Purple Eagles were again about a .500 team in conference play, but last year advanced to the Atlantic Hockey Championship after being in much the same position. Just four seasons ago they managed just three conference victories.
“I’ve been committed for three years, so I’ve seen everything pretty much everything,” Herrmann said. “Coach Lammers is a people person…and I’m excited that decided to come here and we have so much more here in the next couple of years.”
Cook isn’t looking ahead just yet and wants to continue playing after college, but would love to stay close to the rink.
“I would love to be around the game as long as I can,” the Sports Management major Cook said about his post-hockey plans.
